Herpes zoster (shingles) is a recurrent form of infection with the varicella virus (chickenpox virus). The condition is characterized by pain and burning, followed by the appearance of grouped vesicles (blisters) in a dermatomal distribution. Although spontaneous resolution usually occurs in 2-3 weeks, in some cases, especially in the aged, severe pain termed post-herpetic neuralgia may ensue. Strong oral analgesics may be necessary to control this pain. While treating a psoriasis patient with the active principle in red pepper, the patient noted that not only the psoriatic lesions on her chest and side resolved, but that the post-herpetic stinging she had experienced on her right side disappeared. This surprising observation led me to evaluate the effectiveness of topically applied capsaicin, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier, in three other patients with chronic post-herpetic neuralgia.